Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said that soldiers must safeguard national interests and also win the hearts of the people while discharging their duties. Addressing a gathering of troops in one of the forward locations in Rajouri, he emphasised, “The Indian Army is not an ordinary army. Soldiers are our protectors, tasked not only with safeguarding national interests but also with winning the hearts of the people.”
Referring to a recent terrorist strike on Army vehicles, Rajnath Singh remarked, “Such incidents (ambush) cannot be taken for granted. I acknowledge your alertness to the situation, but heightened vigilance is required. I want to assure you that the government stands with you, and your welfare is our top priority.”
In an apparent reference to the killing of three civilians, the Defence Minister urged the troops to avoid “mistakes that harm the citizens of the country.”
As one of the senior-most Cabinet ministers in the Narendra Modi-led Union Government, Rajnath Singh’s visit to the border area was significant. He made all-out efforts to pacify aggrieved members of civilian families.
He described the recent incidents in the sector as unfortunate and urged all ranks to undertake operations based on hard intelligence, following established procedures and aided by niche technology. He also urged all Commanders to have zero tolerance for violations of the well-established Standard Operating Procedures .
Sounding a word of caution, the Defence Minister exhorted the troops to remain extra vigilant to prevent untoward incidents in the future, reiterating that there should be zero tolerance for terrorism. Lauding the role of the Indian army, Singh expressed full faith that the Indian Army would eradicate terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir.
While addressing the troops at a military garrison in Rajouri, the Defence Minister said, “I believe in your bravery and steadfastness… Terrorism should be eradicated from Jammu and Kashmir, and you need to move forward with this commitment. I have full faith that you will achieve victory.” Singh paid tribute to the fallen soldiers and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured personnel. “I want to assure you that given the seriousness of the incident, required and appropriate steps will be taken. For us, every soldier is a part of the family, and his life is very precious. Anyone eyeing our soldiers is not acceptable to us,” he said. “The government treasury is open for further beefing up security and intelligence gathering,” he added. “The sacrifice of the soldiers is unparalleled and cannot be compensated with money. The void can never be fulfilled,” he added.
During his day-long visit, Rajnath Singh also conducted a first-hand assessment of the prevailing situation and counter-terror operations in the area.
He chaired a high-level security review meeting at Raj Bhawan in Jammu, accompanied by Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi.
The Defence Minister received a detailed brief on the prevailing security situation, the counter-infiltration grid, and operational preparedness. Rajnath Singh discussed the operating challenges with the Commanders on the ground, emphasising the need for professional conduct and due diligence during operations.
Later, Rajnath Singh met with the families of the deceased persons, residents of the village Topa Peer of Bufliaz in Poonch district. He assured expeditious investigation into the incident, culminating in the deliverance of justice.
Rajnath Singh expressed satisfaction with the high level of synergy between the security forces, civil administration, J&K Police, Central Armed Police Forces, and other security agencies. This collaboration projects a clear message of resoluteness toward improving the security environment conducive to fostering a new era of development in the Union Territory (UT).
